Academy Awards adding a "Best Popular Film" category. Good or bad idea? Academy walks it back, won't be presented this year

[4815162342]

15 minutes ago, Valonqar said:

was completely unmemorable, has no traction anymore, most people think Inglorious bastards should have won. It coattailed Bigelow's First female Winner narrative. 

 

1) To you.

 

2) For who?

 

3) Irrelevant. The "best" film for most people rarely wins BP. That's been a feature for decades because, shockingly, there's a wide range of opinions.

 

4) Speculation, and it denigrates Bigelow's achievement and strong work.

[Rebeccas]

17 minutes ago, Crainy said:

MC is indeed the lesser evil of the two, but I simply disagree with the concept of ratings in general, which is why a site devoted to it will always be a joke to me. RT on the other hand is a site that seems to be actively at odds with actual critical, worthwhile analysis and appreciation of film and I despise it for that.

Sure, there are select critics who have more influence than others but generally speaking without broad consensus you're not getting into the Oscar race. Metacritic and RT to a lesser extent are just easy ways to gauge how a large number of professionals feel about a movie. The Academy has thousands of members. You can't just read one critic's review and get a sense of how a large voting body will feel about a movie. The Critics Top 10 site at the end of the year is also a good way to gauge passion since you need #1 votes to get nominated.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Rebeccas

[filmlover]

25 minutes ago, Valonqar said:

was completely unmemorable, has no traction anymore, most people think Inglorious bastards should have won. It coattailed Bigelow's First female Winner narrative. That's all. 

 

@filmlover It's not pointless. They pitted the biggest movie that had excellent chance to win against the smallest and did eevrything in their power to tip the scale in the smallest movie's favor, although the point of expanded field was to give big movies a chance. So they couldn't stay true to their idea but used it to assure that the big movie didn't win. Heck, THL pathetic producer Nicholas Chartier was caught rigging votes in THL favor, cause his emails to AMPAS members "vote against Avatar" resurfaced and nothing happened. he got a slap on the wrist (banned from attending the ceremony, big deal). Screw that shit.  

 

My point is that they were never serious about blockbusters having a chance. 

You might as well had just said "I'm mad when my favorite movies never get nominated and those that do get nominated never win."

[Jake Gittes]

Given that Avatar wasn't nominated for screenplay, I don't think it was much of a threat to begin with. They recognized it as a technical achievement, and didn't as the all-around best movie of the year, which is entirely sensible. I'm pretty certain Basterds would have won BP anyway if Hurt Locker hadn't been there at all. 

 

I'd argue the only real fuck-up re: blockbusters since TDK was not giving Fury Road picture & director. Especially since it was also a politically charged movie in addition to being phenomenally accomplished entertainment. I wonder if it could have gone all the way in the wake of MeToo if it were released last year. 

[Valonqar]

26 minutes ago, filmlover said:

You might as well had just said "I'm mad when my favorite movies never get nominated and those that do get nominated never win."

true though that's not what I'm saying here since THL's push for victory thanks to manufactured rivalry with Avatar was well documented. 

 

That said, I was extremely happy when Bigelow was snubbed for ZDT and when Detroit bombed and that all has to do with Inglorious Bastards losing. 

 

@4815162342

 

Quote

it denigrates Bigelow's achievement and strong work.

 

Nope, because director/picture splits happen. Nobody objects her strong work as a director but the movie didn't deserve to win nor did Boal's script. QT was robbed.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Valonqar

[Webslinger]

At risk of stating the obvious, maybe - just maybe - most of the voters actually liked The Hurt Locker better than Avatar and voted accordingly? Just a thought.

[The Panda]

41 minutes ago, Jake Gittes said:

Given that Avatar wasn't nominated for screenplay, I don't think it was much of a threat to begin with. They recognized it as a technical achievement, and didn't as the all-around best movie of the year, which is entirely sensible. I'm pretty certain Basterds would have won BP anyway if Hurt Locker hadn't been there at all. 

 

I'd argue the only real fuck-up re: blockbusters since TDK was not giving Fury Road picture & director. Especially since it was also a politically charged movie in addition to being phenomenally accomplished entertainment. I wonder if it could have gone all the way in the wake of MeToo if it were released last year. 

Last year had no real strong front runner as well.  I think Fury Road would have won had it been released then, 2015 had strong competition with Spotlight, the Revenant and the Big Short

[Valonqar]

16 minutes ago, Webslinger said:

At risk of stating the obvious, maybe - just maybe - most of the voters actually liked The Hurt Locker better than Avatar and voted accordingly? Just a thought.

maybe but attempt at rigging was real and so were David vs Goliath and Battle of Ex's nonsense. 

 

I've no doubt that AMPAS would like something as basic as THL better than a colorful sci fi but I cannot believe they liked it better than IG.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2018 by Valonqar

[The Panda]

I don’t get the hurt locker hate, it was one of the better best picture winners.

[Rebeccas]

59 minutes ago, Jake Gittes said:

Given that Avatar wasn't nominated for screenplay, I don't think it was much of a threat to begin with. They recognized it as a technical achievement, and didn't as the all-around best movie of the year, which is entirely sensible. I'm pretty certain Basterds would have won BP anyway if Hurt Locker hadn't been there at all. 

 

I'd argue the only real fuck-up re: blockbusters since TDK was not giving Fury Road picture & director. Especially since it was also a politically charged movie in addition to being phenomenally accomplished entertainment. I wonder if it could have gone all the way in the wake of MeToo if it were released last year. 

Avatar had no chance with preferential balloting. There was definitely a sizable contingent that was dead set against that movie winning which makes it very hard to win BP and it's why movies with frontrunner status and then subsequent backlash usually lose now. I still think it was a safe 2nd place, especially since IB couldn't even win Original Screenplay.

[Webslinger]

32 minutes ago, Pandamia! said:

I don’t get the hurt locker hate, it was one of the better best picture winners.

I've always gotten the sense that billing it as an "action" movie leads people to expect a more conventional war film rather than an unbearably tense thriller. I've also heard some viewers complain about the repetitive structure, but given the setting and the fact that even a seemingly mundane op that looks and feels like countless others could turn out to be fatal at a second's notice, that's kinda the point. 

 

With regard to the Avatar conversation, I don't think it would have won without a preferential ballot either. The buzz for Hurt Locker was deafening that awards season; it didn't just conveniently squeak out a narrow win. The low box office gross is somewhat deceptive in that Summit released it in the summer and made only a half-hearted attempt at taking it semi-wide and then released it to DVD several weeks ahead of nominee announcement. If I recall correctly, it did perform somewhat well on home video leading up to the Oscars.

[Barnack]

4 hours ago, Valonqar said:

So why is this shit happening? Are they afraid that Black Panther wouldn't make preferential ballot for blockbuster slot in the regular Best Picture line-up or are they afraid that it could - gasp - win? A CB movie, the winner? Cause this change is 100% about Black Panther, not about popular movies in general. 

Why would it not win BP because of the new category ?

 

Has for Disney being afraid that Black Panther would win so they are pushing for a new category , how does it make any sense ?

 

1) The show popularity, Disney has 1 billion on the line here

2) When powerful people/studios making a lot of money for the industry are unhappy with the Oscar they create category, like Monster Inc / Shrek not getting recognized by the Oscar brought best animated.

 

[filmlover]

lol oh Marky Mark

 

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/mark-wahlberg-oscars-popular-film-category-1202901681/

[CoolioD1]

1 hour ago, Valonqar said:

 

I've no doubt that AMPAS would like something as basic as THL better than a colorful sci fi but I cannot believe they liked it better than IG.

 

 

i too cannot comprehend when some people like a film more than another film i like. 

[CoolioD1]

btw inglourious basterds was never in the hunt for the win at all. fanboys always talk about it like it was in retrospect. at best it was like fourth. 

[Barnack]

10 minutes ago, CoolioD1 said:

btw inglourious basterds was never in the hunt for the win at all. fanboys always talk about it like it was in retrospect. at best it was like fourth. 

Looking at all the betting place of the time, that what the odd maker / people betting money on it seem to think, about 4th

 

2010 Academy Awards – 82^nd Oscars Betting Odds - March 7, 2010

Best Picture

Avatar -250

The Hurt Locker +120

Up in the Air +800

Inglorious Basterds +1400

The Blind Side +1500

Precious +2500

Up +5000

A Serious Man +5000

An Education +5000

District 9 +6000

 

Early in the race before the nomination were announced:

https://www.betus.com.pa/sports-betting/other/articles/oscar-betting-early-odds-on-the-best-picture/

• The Hurt Locker -135
• Avatar +300
• Up In The Air +300
• Precious +700
• Invictus +800
• Inglorious Basterds +900
• Nine +1200
• An Education +1200
• The Lovely Bones +2500
• Up +3000

 

 

[The Panda]

41 minutes ago, filmlover said:

lol oh Marky Mark

 

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/mark-wahlberg-oscars-popular-film-category-1202901681/

Would Ted 2 or The Last Knight even qualify as popular pictures?

[Barnack]

43 minutes ago, filmlover said:

lol oh Marky Mark

 

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/mark-wahlberg-oscars-popular-film-category-1202901681/

 

“Maybe if they’d had the category before, we’d have won a couple of them,” Mark Wahlberg told Variety on Thursday

 

Here Wahlberg produced movies:

Worldwide (Unadjusted)

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Worldwide	Domestic / %		Overseas / %		Year
1	The Fighter	Par.	$129.2	$93.6	72.5%	$35.6	27.5%	2010
2	Contraband	Uni.	$96.3	$66.5	69.1%	$29.7	30.9%	2012
3	We Own the Night	Sony	$54.9	$28.6	52%	$26.4	48%	2007
4	Patriots Day	LGF	$50.5	$31.9	63.1%	$18.7	36.9%	2016
5	Entourage	WB	$49.3	$32.4	65.7%	$16.9	34.3%	2015
6	The Gambler	Par.	$39.3	$33.7	85.7%	$5.6	14.3%	2014
7	Broken City	Fox	$19.7	$19.7	100%	n/a	0%	2013

 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000242/?nmdp=1&ref_=nm_flmg_shw_1#producer

 

Missing deepwater horizon/Lone survivor on that list.

 

Not sure what he has in mind that he could have won in that category.

 

If he talking about a movie he acting in, well he won one with the Departed and that would have been is only shot in the popular category.

 

Maybe he is talking about movies he invested in but was not a credited producer.

 

[Jake Gittes]

40 minutes ago, CoolioD1 said:

btw inglourious basterds was never in the hunt for the win at all. fanboys always talk about it like it was in retrospect. at best it was like fourth. 

It won SAG and would've obviously won screenplay without THL in the way. What else do you think would've stood in its way to BP? Precious? (Actually... oh shit.)

[filmlover]

10 minutes ago, Barnack said:

 

“Maybe if they’d had the category before, we’d have won a couple of them,” Mark Wahlberg told Variety on Thursday

 

Here Wahlberg produced movies:

Worldwide (Unadjusted)

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Worldwide	Domestic / %		Overseas / %		Year
1	The Fighter	Par.	$129.2	$93.6	72.5%	$35.6	27.5%	2010
2	Contraband	Uni.	$96.3	$66.5	69.1%	$29.7	30.9%	2012
3	We Own the Night	Sony	$54.9	$28.6	52%	$26.4	48%	2007
4	Patriots Day	LGF	$50.5	$31.9	63.1%	$18.7	36.9%	2016
5	Entourage	WB	$49.3	$32.4	65.7%	$16.9	34.3%	2015
6	The Gambler	Par.	$39.3	$33.7	85.7%	$5.6	14.3%	2014
7	Broken City	Fox	$19.7	$19.7	100%	n/a	0%	2013

 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000242/?nmdp=1&ref_=nm_flmg_shw_1#producer

 

Missing deepwater horizon/Lone survivor on that list.

 

Not sure what he has in mind that he could have won in that category.

 

If he talking about a movie he acting in, well he won one with the Departed and that would have been is only shot in the popular category.

 

Maybe he is talking about movies he invested in but was not a credited producer.

 

Who knows. We're talking about the guy who once said he could've stopped 9/11 here.